Assessing Handwriting Performance in Typical Children: A Pilot Study
Event Type
Presentation
Start Date
12-1-2021 9:00 AM
End Date
12-1-2021 12:00 PM
Description
Introduction / Rationale: Handwriting is a tool that adults utilize throughout their life, but it is a skill that is developed early in childhood. Most children develop letter formation techniques between the ages of 5-8, making it necessary to address handwriting deficits early in life. Handwriting deficits are a primary reason for referral to occupational therapy, furthering the need for a comprehensive assessment to guide clinical decision-making.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to pilot test a newly developed handwriting assessment for the early identification of handwriting deficits in children ages 5-8.
Method/Approach: The final assessment consists of 86 items evaluating the areas of (1) free-form writing, (2) design copying, (3) legibility, (4) spacing, (5) size, (6) boundaries, (7) reversals, (8) distortions, (9) speed, and (10) grasp. Rasch analysis was used for rigorous examination of measurement problems. Results and or
Practice Implications: Sixty children between the ages of 58 participated in this study by completing a free-form writing sample, dot-to-dot designs, and two sample written sentences. Rasch analysis results supported the author’s hypothesized relationships for proposed items. Content validity results indicate strong intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. Additionally, the proposed assessment offers the opportunity to administer and score using telehealth methods.
Conclusion: The development of a reliable and valid handwriting assessment provides occupational therapists with a tool for early identification and targeting of interventions. The development of this assessment offers preliminary support for further validation and indicates potential for the early identification of handwriting deficits.
Recommended Citation
Reinoso, G., Ricciardi-Lima, F., Alvarado, D., Applewhite, C. B., Brownlee, T., Collins, G., Kangaloo, J., & Marshall, C. (2021), Assessing Handwriting Performance in Typical Children: A Pilot Study, Presentation, Eighth Annual Research Colloquium, https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ot_colloquium/eighth/events/6
Assessing Handwriting Performance in Typical Children: A Pilot Study
Introduction / Rationale: Handwriting is a tool that adults utilize throughout their life, but it is a skill that is developed early in childhood. Most children develop letter formation techniques between the ages of 5-8, making it necessary to address handwriting deficits early in life. Handwriting deficits are a primary reason for referral to occupational therapy, furthering the need for a comprehensive assessment to guide clinical decision-making.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to pilot test a newly developed handwriting assessment for the early identification of handwriting deficits in children ages 5-8.
Method/Approach: The final assessment consists of 86 items evaluating the areas of (1) free-form writing, (2) design copying, (3) legibility, (4) spacing, (5) size, (6) boundaries, (7) reversals, (8) distortions, (9) speed, and (10) grasp. Rasch analysis was used for rigorous examination of measurement problems. Results and or
Practice Implications: Sixty children between the ages of 58 participated in this study by completing a free-form writing sample, dot-to-dot designs, and two sample written sentences. Rasch analysis results supported the author’s hypothesized relationships for proposed items. Content validity results indicate strong intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. Additionally, the proposed assessment offers the opportunity to administer and score using telehealth methods.
Conclusion: The development of a reliable and valid handwriting assessment provides occupational therapists with a tool for early identification and targeting of interventions. The development of this assessment offers preliminary support for further validation and indicates potential for the early identification of handwriting deficits.